Steam-trap



L. R. MERTENS.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20. 1911.

Patented N0v. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1;

WITNESS:

AII'URNEY.

L R. MERTENS.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION. FILED OCT. 20. 1917.

1 322,324. Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I'II Arm/Mex UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LOUIS R. MER'IENS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 CHARLES J. MILLER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Application filed October 20, 1917. Serial No. 197,572.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, LOUIS R. MnR'rnNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam-Traps, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to steam traps de signed for collecting the condensation of high or low pressure steam drains or exhaust mains of condensing engines. It is particularly adapted for use where it is desired to force the condensed steam back into the boiler.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the drawings, in which z- Figure l is a side elevation of the trap partly in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical sec tional view of certain details.

The tank body A of the trap is shown as provided at the top with a number of ports: one, a, to admit the condensed steam; another, 6, an equalizing port; and another, 0, which is connected with a sourceof steam supply. At one end of the tank, adjacent to its bottom, is a water discharge pipe 45.

If the condensed steam enters the port a at atmospheric pressure, the port 6 may be normally open to the atmosphere. If the port a is connected with an exhaust main the port I) will be connected with the exhaust main. The exhaust main being connected with a condenser, the pipes leading to both ports a and b, and the tank A itself, would be under partial vacuum.

In the pipe 6 leading to port a is a checkvalve f, which prevents any back flow from the tank. Port 12 is controlled by a normally open valve 9. Port 0 is controlled by a normally closed valve h. Flow through port cl is controlled by a check valve 2', which, in the absence of steam pressure in the tank, is maintained closed by the back pressure in the boiler into which it is desired to force the water of condensation that intermittently accumulates in the tank.

vPivoted on a standard j, on the top of the tank midway between ports Z) and 0, is'a lever 7r: to which are connected the stems of valves 9 and h. To the'long free end of the lever is applied a weight Z, which operates to normally hold the steam valve it closed and the equalizing valve 9 open.

The lever 70 is operated against its weight by a steam actuated plunger m which is also the movable head or piston of a cylinder 71.. The stationary head 0 of the cylinder is confined immovably between the cylinder body and the upper wall of a steam chest 79. The latter is' flanged and bolted to a flange on the cylinder. The head 0 is orificed to afford communication between the steam chest p and cylinder a. The steam chest 39 is connected, by a pipe 1*, with a steam pipe 8 supplying live steam to'valve k.

Seated against the orifice in the fixed head 0 of cylinder n is a pilot valve t. The top wall of the steam chest is orifieed, beneath the smaller orifice in head 0, to accommodate guiding wings a on the stem of the valve t beneath the conical end thereof engaging the orifice in head 0. The dimensions of the orifice in head 0 and of the stem of the valve beneath the wings a are about equal so that the valve is balanced, and, by reason of the friction in the stuffing boxes o, 41;, tends to remain in the position to which it is moved by the means hereinafter described.

The valve stem extends down through the stufiing boxes above mentioned into the interior of the tank A, its lower end being pivoted to a cross lever- 00 pivoted on, and guided by, the opposite vertical arms of a hanger 2. Extending through holes in the lever m and in the lower horizontal arm of the hanger a is a rod y, the lower end of which is pivoted to an arm 3 carrying a float 4:1 The arm 3 is pivoted on a bracket depending from the hanger 2, the pivot being located between the float and the point of attachment of rod :1; to arm 3 and relatively close to the latter point. The end of the arm 8 opposite the boat carries a weight 5, which partly counterbalances the weight of the float.

The rod y carries the two pushers 6 and 7, which may be threaded on therod so as to be adjustable. The pushers are located respectively above and below the lever 00 and operate the valve 6, as will be readily understood.

In the operation of the tank, water of condensation accumulates and gradually lifts the float, thereby gradually pulling down therod During the tank filling period, the valve t is in its upper closed )ositiou, cutting off steam pressure from cy inder 72.. Hence the plunger m is held down by the weighted lever 76, which at the same time holds valve 9 open. and valve ,ZL Closed. There is therefore no pressure in the tank A.

After the water reaches a predetermined maximum level, the pusher 6 engages the lever 17, swinging it down, thereby causing; the valve t to open. Steam is immediately admitted to the cylinder n and the plunger m is raised, causing the lever 70 to close the equalizing valve 9 and open the steam valve 7L.

The steam entering port 0 is of sutliciently high pressure to force the water from the tank out through the port d and the check valve 2' into the boiler.

When the level of the water starts to drop, the stop 6 recedes from the lever 03, but the needle valve remains in its lower open position until the water level reaches a predetermined minimum, whereupon the pusher 7 engages the lever 02 and closes the pilot valve 6. Thereupon the admission of steam to the cylinder at is cut oil", the plunger m falls, and the lever it drops into position to open valve 9 and close valve h. The steam pressure in the tank is now relieved; the flow through the inlet a. which has been interrupted, during the draining operation, by closure of the check valve f, again commences; and the check valve i closes.

The cylinder at is provided with a vent 8 to allow the steam pressure in the cylinder to be relieved immediately upon the closure of the pilot valve t. This vent may be allowed to remain permanently open, its size not being suliicient to relieve the steam pressure in the cylinder at when the valve t is open. It is, however, preferred to throttle, or practically close, the vent after the valve 25 is opened. This is effected by means or a stopper 9, which is secured to one end of a bell-crank lever 10, the other end being engaged by the plunger m, as it completes its rise, to swing the stopper over the mouth of the vent. The bell crank is pivoted on a bracket 11 secured to the cylinder a. As long, therefore, as the valve 16 is open, plunger m presses up against the other end 12 of the bell-crank lever and vent 8 is held closed; but when the valve t is closed and the steam confined in the cylinder begins to condense, a slight lowering of plunger m frees the bell crank, and the steam in vent 8 displaces the stopper 9 and freely escapes.

Thile the lever mechanism herein described is capable of connection with the discharge valve so as to positively control its operation, the provision of: a check-valve arranged as described dispenses with the necessity of such connection, which is not therefore shown. One feature of my invention is therefore the provision of an isolated or independent check-valve which is normally held closed against the pressure of water behind it but which is forced open when the pressure is increased by the admission to the tank of steam of a sufiiciently high pressure.

Having now fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A trap comprising a tank adapted to contain water of condensation and provided with four ports, namely: a fluid admission port, a pressure equalizing port, a port for the admission of steam under pressure and a liquid discharge port, a valve controlling the pressure equalizing port, a valve controlling the steam port, mechanism including a counterweight connected to said valves and adapted to normally hold the first open and the second closed, a steam actuated plunger connected with said mechanism, a pilot valve beneath said plunger and controlling the admission of steam thereto, and means controlled by the level of the liquid in the tank adapted to actuate the pilot valve to admit steam to said plunger.

A trap comprising a tank adapted to contain water of condensation and provided with a fluid admission port, a steam inlet portand a liquid discharge port, a normally closed valve controlling the steam port, a cylinder having a. steam inlet orifice in its base, a plunger in the cylinder, means actuated by the plunger to open the steam valve, a steam chest comnmnicating with said orifices, a pilot valve extending through said chest and having a tapered end adapted to engage said orifice, wings on the pilot valve affording balanced pressure surfaces tending to hold the pilot 'alve in open or closed position, and means controlled by the level of liquid in the tank to shift the valve from its open to closed position and vice versa.

3. A trap comprising a. tank adapted to contain Water of condensation and provided with four ports, namely: an admission port, an equalizing port, a high pressure steam port and a discharge port, a valve controlling the equalizing port, a valve controlling the steam port, mechanism connecting and counterbalancing said valves, so that the former will normally be open and the latter closed, a steam actuated piston connected to said mechanism, a pilot valve controlling the admission of steam to said piston, and means controlled by the level of water in said tank to control said pilot valve.

In testimony of which invention, 1 have hereunto set myhand, at Philadelphia, Pa, on this 18th day of October, 1917.

" LQUIS R. MERTENS. 

